pronghorn – The National Wildlife Federation Bloghttp://blog.nwf.org
The National Wildlife Federation's blogThu, 08 Dec 2016 18:09:20 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.6.1New Ozone Rule to Better Protect Wildlife, Public Healthhttp://blog.nwf.org/2015/10/new-ozone-rule-to-better-protect-wildlife-public-health/
http://blog.nwf.org/2015/10/new-ozone-rule-to-better-protect-wildlife-public-health/#respondFri, 02 Oct 2015 15:00:34 +0000http://blog.nwf.org/?p=109451This Thursday, the Environmental Protection Agency announced a rule that will benefit public health, vegetation, and wildlife. The Agency finalized a new standard for ozone and smog pollution of 70 parts per billion (ppb). This rule will benefit wildlife and outdoor enthusiasts by cleaning up harmful air pollution in both urban and rural areas.

Ground-level ozone is a dangerous air pollutant and the precursor to smog. It is created when Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) react with Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) in the presence of sunlight. The recent expansion of oil and gas production, as well as sources like vehicle exhaust, has led to vast and unhealthy concentrations of ozone in rural and urban areas alike. Under the Clean Air Act EPA has a Congressionally-mandated responsibility to review the standard for this pollutant every five years. The newest medical and scientific research finds the old standard of 75ppb, set in 2008, to be outdated and no longer considered safe for public health.

Wildlife which live near oil and gas development, like pronghorn, are particularly at risk from the impacts of ozone pollution. Photo: Mark Gocke, USDA

While the new rule is certainly an improvement over the previous standard, EPA’s own science advisors determined that ozone concentrations should be at a maximum of 70ppb, with concentrations closer to 60ppb being safer. This means that there will still be significant room to improve our air from ozone pollution.

Benefits to Wildlife and Public Health

Ozone and its components (VOC’s, NOx) can impact communities and wildlife that live near and downwind of oil and gas wells. Repeated exposure to ozone can cause permanent damage to the lungs of both animals and people. Wildlife can experience many of the same symptoms as humans who live near or are active in high ozone areas such as wheezing, shortness of breath, chest pain, and even premature death.

Ozone also affects sensitive vegetation and ecosystems, including growing trees and plants, forests, parks, wildlife refuges, and wilderness areas. It can impact the ability of plants to photosynthesize, increase their susceptibility to disease and harm their visible appearance, which can impact wildlife habitat and species diversity.

In addition to the health impacts, ozone interferes with peoples’ ability to enjoy the outdoors. As the main component of smog, ozone reduces visibility. This is true not only in many of our major cities but also some of our most prominent landscapes and national parks. Ozone can also make it dangerous to be outdoors, given the elevated health risks. This makes it harder and unhealthy for people to connect to and enjoy nature. You can track your local ozone levels in real-time here, or download EPA’s free AIRNow app.

The oil and gas industry emits precursors of ozone, which harm even some of our most prominent landscapes. Photo: NASA

No Basis for Opposing Public Health Standards

Industry has spent an unprecedented amount of money fighting this rule, insisting, once again, that stronger air standards will drive up costs. However, time and time again we have found these objections to be a red herring. Since its inception, the Clean Air Act has successfully reduced pollution while our economy has continued to grow. The Clean Air Act provides states flexibility and ample time to craft a plan to meet the stronger standard. Further, other rules already in the works, like vehicle efficiency standards and power plant regulations, will help localities clean up smog pollution.

Combatting climate change will also help reduce future ozone pollution. Warmer temperatures caused by climate change increase the risk of unhealthy ozone levels because higher air temperatures enhance the conditions for ozone formation. Additionally, building a clean energy economy based on wind, solar, and electric vehicles will reduce sources of emissions that cause ozone.

This makes effective implementation of measures designed to reduce harmful carbon pollution – like the recently finalized Clean Power Plan – ever the more important. To really benefit wildlife and public health, it is important to continue to fight for a stricter ozone standards as well as support action on climate change.

Please join us in thanking the Environmental Protection Agency by retweeting the following.

]]>http://blog.nwf.org/2015/10/new-ozone-rule-to-better-protect-wildlife-public-health/feed/0America’s Most Amazing Wildlife Migrationshttp://blog.nwf.org/2015/08/amazing-wildlife-migrations-of-america/
http://blog.nwf.org/2015/08/amazing-wildlife-migrations-of-america/#respondFri, 07 Aug 2015 17:45:12 +0000http://blog.nwf.org/?p=108072Summer is often a season bustling with travel. We go to relax, visit friends, experience new sights or relish the familiar. When wildlife travel, however, it’s typically a matter of survival. These species embark on incredible journeys each year, to and from their seasonal homes.

Journey through the Sea: Manatee Trail

I certainly don’t look at manatees and think, now there’s a mover. They don’t rush their short migration. In fact, “manatees may even be nature’s most laid-back migrators,” says author Joanne O’Sullivan. Their journey (seeking warmer water) may not quick, but it’s critical to their survival.

Manatees are protected under the Endangered Species Act. Photo by U.S. FWS.

A Book of Journeys: Migration Nation

]]>http://blog.nwf.org/2015/08/amazing-wildlife-migrations-of-america/feed/0Small but Mighty: Streams and Wetlands that Matterhttp://blog.nwf.org/2015/04/small-but-mighty-streams-and-wetlands-that-matter/
http://blog.nwf.org/2015/04/small-but-mighty-streams-and-wetlands-that-matter/#respondMon, 13 Apr 2015 17:23:57 +0000http://blog.nwf.org/?p=105816Marshes, wetlands, intermittent streams, and even some lakes fill from rainwater or snowmelt then empty through evaporation—coming and going throughout the year. These small but mighty habitats filter out pollution, ease the effects of flooding, and provide water for wildlife in dry climates.

These habitats, called ephemeral bodies of water, are critical for many species, but small streams and wetlands are at risk and need our help.

Here are a few examples of wildlife that need these on-again, off-again waters!

River Otters

Three river otters. Photo by James “Newt” Perdue, USFWS

River otters are playful semi-aquatic mammals who spend a lot of time in the water – they can even hold their breath for up to 8 minutes! They make their homes near many types of water, including marshes and wetlands. However, they are extremely sensitive to water pollution, which in tandem with unregulated trapping and hunting, had diminished their numbers in the past. Their numbers are coming back strong, but clean water is key to their survival.

Pronghorn

Pronghorn are the fastest land animal in North America, and can reach a peak speed of 60 miles an hour. So while they won’t beat a cheetah in the sprint, they can maintain their speed for much longer. In Wyoming, around 400 pronghorn migrate from the Grand Teton National Park to the Upper Green Basin for the winter. During the 150 mile journey, they rely on bodies of water like terminal basins, which are closed, standing bodies of water. These are important for both the water they provide and the food from the ecosystem of terminal basins.

Bighorn Sheep

Bighorn sheep in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, courtesy of the National Park Service.

Bighorn sheep are known for- you guessed it- their big horns! The male horns can weigh up to 30 pounds, and some can grow to over 3 feet long. In California, federally-listed bighorn sheep rely on pools of standing water called tenajas as a key source of water in an otherwise arid and hot climate. Desert bighorn sheep tend to live within 2-3 miles of water, so the disappearance of any of these tenajas would threaten the species’ survival.

Salamanders

Spotted salamander in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, courtesy of the National Park Service

A few species of salamanders have adapted to the changing life of living in a vernal pool, a temporary pool that usually fills in the spring and evaporates depending upon the weather, but often contains water well into the summer. While adult salamanders live on dry land, during the spring they will go to a vernal pool to lay their eggs, which will develop and hatch during the summer. If the pool lasts long enough, the young salamanders will grow and emerge to become terrestrial animals. One cool thing about these salamander eggs is that they contain green algae, so that when the embryonic salamander produces carbon dioxide it turns it into oxygen that the embryo can use.

American Avocets

American avocets are migratory birds that use ephemeral waters as their pit stops along their migratory path. Prairie pothole wetlands are often frequented by avocets. These “potholes” provide a shallow habitat for avocets to search for food, as well as to nest in the spring. Their chicks are quick learners – within 24 hours after hatching, they can already walk, swim, and dive to avoid predators!

In its 2008 Ephemeral Streams report , the U.S. EPA estimates that these types of waters make up about 59% of all streams in the United States (except Alaska). For more than a decade, Clean Water Act protections for these waters have been uncertain, putting them at increased risk of pollution and destruction.

But you have a chance to change that. A bill that would allow polluters free rein in these bodies of water is coming to a vote this week. You can do your part to protect these and hundreds more species by urging members of Congress to oppose this attack on the Clean Water Act.

The announcement included actions from four federal agencies: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Department of Energy (DOE), and Department of Transportation (DOT). The EPA will issue regulations requiring reductions of methane from new and modified oil and gas production sources and natural gas processing and transmission sources. EPA’s draft rule is projected to be out this summer for comment and finalized in 2016. BLM will propose standards reducing venting and flaring of natural gas from both new and existing oil and gas wells on public lands. Draft standards are expected in the spring of this year. DOE will work to develop advanced technologies to reduce waste from natural gas transmission and distribution and DOT will propose new natural gas pipeline safety standards which will both improve safety and reduce leaks.

Unfortunately, meeting the presidents goal of 45% reduction by 2025 will require more than what has been proposed. Specifically, EPA needs to regulate existing sources of methane emissions as well. While this announcement doesn’t include everything we hoped for, it is a very positive development for wildlife and communities and leaves the door open for stronger rules down the line.

Methane Regulation Means Increased Benefits to Wildlife and People Alike

The oil and gas industry is the largest emitter of methane in this country and their development has multiple impacts on wildlife. Energy development has been tied to decreasing populations of species like mountain plovers, black-tail prairie dogs and sage grouse, as well as large game species such as pronghorn and mule deer.

These new regulations will not only reduce methane pollution, but also nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and toxic pollutants like benzene. VOCs and NOx can lead to the production of ground-level ozone and smog which reduces visibility in outdoor spaces and can lead to respiratory complications.

But perhaps the greatest threat that methane waste and pollution pose to wildlife and their habitat is that methane is a potent greenhouse gas – 86 times stronger than carbon over 20 years – meaning a small amount of leakage can have big impacts on climate. Climate change shifts the availability of food and water and increases the conditions for wildfires and droughts, making western species even more vulnerable to an unchecked oil and gas industry.

Getting Serious About Climate Change

The announcement further proves that the Administration is serious about acting on climate change. Cutting methane pollution is vital to securing the climate benefits of the EPA’s Clean Power Plan (CPP), which will put first-ever limits on carbon pollution from existing power plants. Because increased reliance on energy from natural gas is one of the main options states can use to comply with this plan, these limits on methane pollution are critical if the CPP is to deliver the intended climate benefits.

This is an essential first step in addressing methane pollution and waste; but we need to keep in mind that it is only a first step. Pollution from existing sources will need to be addressed if we are to keep climate change from reaching disastrous levels. The IPCC found that more than 50% of the warming in the next two decades will come from short-lived pollutants like methane, making its immediate regulation even more important. None the less, the administration’s announcement marks an important and achievable step to reducing the impacts of energy development on wildlife, ecosystems, and communities and we look forward to even more progress!

Please retweet and join us in thanking the President for taking action on a commonsense rule to protect the future of our western landscapes and the species and people that enjoy them!

]]>http://blog.nwf.org/2015/01/new-methane-rule-good-news-for-wildlife/feed/0Weekly News Roundup: Pronghorn Need Your Help and Morehttp://blog.nwf.org/2014/10/weekly-news-roundup-pronghorn-need-your-help-and-more/
http://blog.nwf.org/2014/10/weekly-news-roundup-pronghorn-need-your-help-and-more/#respondFri, 17 Oct 2014 18:11:55 +0000http://blog.nwf.org/?p=101017Pronghorn habitat is in danger! With the release of methane gases from oil and gas development in the West, pronghorn habitat is left vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. If we do not move forward with strong rules to limit methane pollution, their habitat will experience much worsened droughts and wildfires!

What’s happening at the National Wildlife Federation this week?

San Gabriel Mountains National Monument Designation: A Homerun for Wildlife and Local Communities

October 10 – For the 13th time in his Presidency, President Obama responded to decades of hard work by local communities, businesses, elected officials and conservation organizations by creating a new National Monument – this time right in Los Angeles’ backyard. By signing today’s proclamation, the President has permanently protected 346,000 acres of wild land in the San Gabriel Mountains, which provides critical habitat for a wide range of wildlife, including mountain lions, California condors, yellow-legged frogs, and Nelson’s bighorn sheep. The new monument status will also ensure that these spectacular public lands remain open in perpetuity for outdoor recreation activities like hiking, hunting, and fishing which are currently enjoyed by more than three million visitors annually.

NWF in the News:

A National Wildlife Federation report on U.S. energy infrastructure recommends that the nation “undertake a detailed national climate vulnerability assessment for the energy industry and develop climate adaptation plans to address vulnerabilities.”

“We hear from fishing guides, brewers, coffee roasters, farmers, ranchers, caterers—real small businesses—who depend on clean water for their businesses and who therefore support the Clean Water Rule,” Goldman-Carter told Bloomberg BNA. “The Office of Advocacy was not listening to these folks, and they do not represent these folks. They were listening to the Waters Advocacy Coalition, a well-heeled collection of industry associations.”

The federal rules “open the door to spending the money on projects that won’t help the Gulf — and could cause further degradation,” said Amanda Fuller, a policy specialist with the National Wildlife Federation, which is spearheading the coalition that sent the letter.

“This makes a statement that even though we’re living in a city, we can live in harmony with nature,” O’Mara said. “It engages the community and helps beautify the community.”

]]>http://blog.nwf.org/2014/10/weekly-news-roundup-pronghorn-need-your-help-and-more/feed/0This Valentine’s Day Help Us Save Otter Creek Valley For Montana’s Wildlifehttp://blog.nwf.org/2014/02/this-valentines-day-help-us-save-otter-creek-valley-for-montanas-wildlife/
http://blog.nwf.org/2014/02/this-valentines-day-help-us-save-otter-creek-valley-for-montanas-wildlife/#respondFri, 14 Feb 2014 18:36:03 +0000http://blog.nwf.org/?p=91859The Otter Creek Valley in southeastern Montana is threatened by the largest proposed coal mine in the country. Arch Coal wants to mine 1.3 billion tons of coal from this pristine valley that is rich in wildlife including mule deer, pronghorn antelope and elk along with hundreds of bird species and other prairie critters. If built, this mine would directly destroy thousands of acres of wildlife habitat, permanently damage the watershed and release billions of tons of carbon into the atmosphere when the coal is burned.

But there are two things I know for sure about the Otter Creek Valley.

One, the valley is loved by the people who live there, the people whose ancestors are buried there and the hunters who hunt there.

Two, our love for Otter Creek will, in the end, be what that saves it.

So, on this Valentine’s Day, help the National Wildlife Federation tell Montana’s Governor Steve Bullock how much people love the Otter Creek Valley. Please share this on Facebook and Tweet it directly to Governor Bullock.

The Wall Street Journal asks a great question this morning: Who would win if any animal could compete in this weekend’s Belmont Stakes with no rider required? Journal writers Geoff Foster and Jim Chairusmi call it the Wild Kingdom Stakes, but without any birds included, from land-runners like ostrich to blazing-fast fliers like the golden eagle, we’ll call it the Land Mammal Stakes.

If you’re a fan of big cats like me, a cheetah was the first contestant to come to mind. But the sprinters are short on stamina and like all cats, long on laziness:

9. Cheetah

The morning-line favorite. Having a fancy title like “World’s Fastest Land Animal” is going to get you a lot of betting action. But this isn’t a sprint—and the cheetah has no chance. Dr. Lindstedt estimates it would blast out of the starting gate, and after 20 seconds, would open up a 950-foot lead on the fastest thoroughbred. After that? You may find him napping in the infield.

Instead, scientists say a track star of the American West would finish far ahead of the Belmont’s thoroughbred horses:

8. Pronghorn

The wiseguy pick. They may not be as sexy as some of the other competitors, but pronghorns have an ideal mix of speed and endurance. Dr. Lindstedt says for a 1 ½ mile distance, they could likely reach a blistering pace of 50 mph. Added bonus: They are local, hailing from Western states like Wyoming and Colorado. U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!

But it gets even more interesting, according to Bruce Stein, the National Wildlife Federation’s director of climate change adaptation.

“The pronghorn’s blazing speed is apparently an evolutionary response to predation by the American cheetah, an animal that went extinct in the Pleistocene,” says Bruce. “So in some ways, it truly is a race between pronghorn and cheetah!”

While pronghorns evolved their speed and endurance for outrunning predators and long migrations, today their biggest threats are cars, fences, and habitat loss. In fact, two subspecies – Peninsular pronghorns and Sonoran pronghorns – are on the Endangered Species List. Learn more about how the National Wildlife Federation is working to protect pronghorns.

]]>http://blog.nwf.org/2013/06/would-an-american-win-the-land-mammal-belmont-stakes/feed/0Meet the Stars of the Newest Reality Series on TV—North Americahttp://blog.nwf.org/2013/05/animal-stars-north-america/
http://blog.nwf.org/2013/05/animal-stars-north-america/#commentsFri, 24 May 2013 18:30:48 +0000http://blog.nwf.org/?p=80628Forget Usher and Shakira, the newest reality TV stars can be found onAnimal Planet startingTuesday, May 28, at 9 p.m. EDT. That’s when viewers will be introduced to the cast of NORTH AMERICA, a new series featuring some of the continent’s most spectacular wildlife: everything from massive grizzly bears to newly hatched sea turtles.

These animal “celebrities” face a daily struggle to survive in the most dangerous places in the world. They also hold a special place in our hearts here at National Wildlife Federation because they are the animals we work hard to protect.

Mountain Goat

Celebrity Profile: Mountain Goat
Hometown: Native to Alaska and British Columbia.Locale: Now living throughout the Rocky Mountains, including Colorado, Utah and Nevada.Unusual Characteristics? This actor is literally thick-skinned: up to an inch in places.Fun Fact: Adult mountain goats average three to four conflicts (of varying degree) per hour with other goats.Favorite Things: Salt licks; low-hanging branches (when spooked, mountain goats will sometimes climb into trees).M&Ms in the Green Room? Mountain goats subsist on scarce mountain grasses, ferns, herbs and other plants.Hostile Work Environment:Avalanches, sonic booms, cougars, golden eagles.Favorite Hot Spots: The most inaccessible crags in the Western Hemisphere; Olympic National Park.

Mountain goats are among North America’s most isolated creatures. Traveling above the tree line, these acrobats begin climbing mere hours after being born. Your next reality show will be full of confrontation if you cast mountain goats — like alpine Real Housewives, nannies are notoriously aggressive, bickering over the finest inhospitable ledges while their kids form play groups. They’re also great for stunt work, rarely falling and recovering quickly when they do.

Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle

Celebrity Profile: Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle
Hometown: Tamaulipas, MexicoLocale: This Southern Belle prefers the Louisiana waters of the Northern Gulf of Mexico.Fun Fact: Female Kemp’s ridleys return to nest on the same beach where they were hatched.Favorite Things: Beaches backed by swampland, responsible fishermen.M&Ms in the Green Room? Kemp’s ridleys prefer swimming crabs, but will settle for fish, jellyfish and mollusks.Hostile Work Environments: Developed beachfront, oil spills.Favorite Hot Spots: They prefer the muddy bottoms of nearshore waters, where prey can be easily found.Most notable role: Some 42,000 Kemp’s ridleys starred in an amateur film in 1947.

Kemp’s ridley sea turtles are the smallest marine turtles in the world, and the vast majority nest in one area near Tamaulipas, Mexico. If you’re looking for the next teen star, try some other species: these sea turtles spend their formative years in the open ocean. Males will sometimes range far and wide looking for food before returning to mate.

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Sea turtles face enormous obstacles toward replenishing their numbers. Protection of beach nesting sites (especially in Mexico) has led to great strides in recovery of the species, though bycatch (accidental capture in shrimp trawls, gill nets, longlines and dredges) is still the largest problem these species face. Efforts to use modified fishing equipment is helping reduce the incidence of bycatch.

Burrowing Owl

Celebrity Profile: Burrowing Owls
Hometown:Locale: In North America, range is from Southwestern Canada during the summer to Mexico in the winter.Fun Fact: Burrowing owls collect mammal waste to attract dung beetles.Favorite Things: Couch-surfing (it often lives in burrows dug by other animals).M&Ms in the Green Room? Dung beetles are the owls’ favorite delicacy.Hostile Work Environment: Highways, development, coyotes.Favorite Hot Spots: Burrows of the various species of prairie dogs, golf courses.

Burrowing owls are attentive parents, remaining with their young for 40 days until the owlets are ready to leave the nest. The owlets are natural actors — they remain behind while their parents hunt, mimicking the sounds or rattlesnakes to scare off predators.

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Burrowing owls are able to dig their own nests underground, but often use those excavated by mammals like prairie dogs. Prairie dogs, in turn, are in decline due to habitat loss, leaving fewer ready nesting sites available for burrowing owls. There’s a real conservation concern due to pesticide use, which impacts the owls’ food supply.

The biggest threat to these birds, however, is automobile collisions. Burrowing owls can hunt on the wing, but also do so by hopping or running along the ground, a practice that makes them susceptible to car strikes.

Bison are the quintessential animal of North American prairies. Once numbering more than 40 million strong, the continent’s largest terrestrial animal was nearly hunted to extinction. Bison will likely work best as extras, since they communicate mostly via smell and pheromones (though they do grunt, snort and growl).

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Our decimation of bison in the late 19th Century is one the most tragic stories of a species’ decline, but the restoration of these majestic mammals may be even more compelling. National Wildlife Federation is working to return wild, free-ranging bison to their native homes. Working with ranchers who own lands near a wildlife refuge, and with tribal partners on reservations, we hope bison will soon return to their native prairies.

There are still obstacles in the way, mainly political — thanks to popular support our partners in Montana were recently able to thwart several pieces of legislation that would have negatively impacted bison there.

Sandhill Crane

Celebrity Profile: Sandhill Crane
Hometown: Nebraska’s Platte River valley.Locale: Three subpopulations are migratory, while three others remain in their habitats in Florida, Mississippi and Cuba.Fun Fact: To the spa! Sandhill cranes preen themselves by rubbing mud on their feathers.Favorite Things: Wet pine savannah.M&Ms in the Green Room? Cranes mostly eat grains and plants, but will also eat small mammals, amphibians and reptiles.Hostile Work Environment: Interstate Highways, red tailed hawks, bobcats.Favorite Hot Spots: Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge.

Sandhill cranes are a double threat: they sing and dance. They are the perfect star for your next romantic musical, as sandhill cranes will form lifelong pair bonds, dancing throughout mating season while joining in a unison call of singing.

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The Mississippi subspecies is a clear example of waiting too late to begin the conservation process. While Mississipi sandhill cranes were saved from extinction (though are still critically endangered), experts say they’ll need constant management: work to repair and restore habitat, reduce predation and release cranes raised in captivity to replenish population loss. In addition, sandhill cranes in general are facing the same issue as many other species: loss of wetlands and their other preferred habitats.

Pronghorn might be your next action star: they sprint at 60 mph. Scientists believe the species developed their unique combination of speed and stamina to out-maneuver prehistoric predators that are now extinct. While adults no longer have any natural predators, young pronghorn have a 50% mortality rate in the wild due to predation from coyotes, bobcats and golden eagles.

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Nationally, pronghorn are thriving across much of their native habitat. While their young are under constant threat from predators, the species seems to have adapted by rearing twin fawns each year. It’s not all blue skies and open prairies, however. The biggest obstacle for pronghorn is the lowly fence—despite an ability to easily jump over fences (as deer often do), pronghorn refuse.

Roads and highways are additional obstacles, especially in the Southwest. While pronghorn make a 300-mile roundtrip between Wyoming’s Upper Green River Basin and Grand Teton National Park every year, endangered Sonoran pronghorn are boxed into a small area.

Ferruginous Hawk

Celebrity Profile: Ferruginous Hawk
Hometown: Native to North AmericaLocale: Open country of western North America (Canada, Great Plains, Mexico)Fun Fact: Before the elimination of bison in the West, nests of the ferruginous hawk were often partially constructed of bison bones and wool.Favorite Things: Warm air currentsM&Ms in the Green Room?: Sometimes referred to as “squirrel hawk” due to its fondness for ground squirrels. Rabbits and prairie dogs will also suffice.Hostile Work Environment: Extreme heat in the summer plains.Favorite Hot Spots: Find them year round in the open country of eastern Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico.

This is the breakout role for the largest American hawk. They take costume very seriously, and are covered head-to-toe in feathers. As unique vocalists, ferruginous hawks specialize in screechy squeals you may hear in horror films.

Gray Wolf

Hometown: The proverbial girls next door, wolves once roamed across the continent, from Canada’s tundra to America’s forests and on to the deserts of Mexico.Locale: Stable populations exist in Alaska, and in the northern reaches of Michigan, Wisconsin and Montana, among other places.Fun Fact: Wolves play a critical role in ecological biodiversity—once reintroduced to Yellowstone, other species returned as well.Favorite Things: Certain apparel, Angry Birds.M&Ms in the Green Room? Wolves prefer ungulates like moose, deer, elk and bison but will hunt just about anything.Hostile Work Environment: Red Riding Hood, full moons.Favorite Hot Spots: Like many of its costars, Yellowstone.Most notable role: I’ve always been partial to Never Cry Wolf.

The wolves’ iconic howl serves as a way to bring a pack back together if spread over long distances, and as a warning to strangers. Not unlike the Bluths, gray wolves form familial packs with dominant male and female leaders.

Like bison, wolves have recovered in select pockets of their once vast native range. Their reintroduction into Yellowstone spurred a resurgence in biodiversity — aspens, beavers and red foxes have returned, while the runaway increase of coyotes and elk has been checked.

Unfortunately, in Canada, gray wolves have become a favorite scapegoat for declining caribou populations (see below). As a result, government-sanctioned efforts to “cull” the species include poison-laced bait and aerial hunts from helicopters.

Caribou

Hometown: Rocky Mountains, Northwest, Eastern Canada, Western Canada, Alaska.Locale: Alpine and subalpine habitats, forests and woodlands.Fun Fact: Domesticated and semi-domesticated caribou are called reindeer.M&Ms in the Green Room? Vegetarian meals only, please. They enjoy eating the leaves of willows, flowering tundra plants, sedges and mushrooms.Hostile Work Environment: The Keystone XL pipeline threatens to encroach on this star’s key habitat. They can handle migrating far distances, but having a place to stay is vital.Favorite Hot Spots: They can be spotted in boreal forests and chilly environments.

Caribou conduct the longest migration of any terrestrial species in North America. Labrador, Canada, is home to the greatest migration of 28,000 caribou—they travel 3,700 miles each year.

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Over the last 50 years, about half of caribou habitat has disappeared due to timber, oil and gas development in the heart of their range, leading to steep declines in populations. Now, the expansion of tar sands production is threatening to destroy what remains of their fragile habitat—and if development continues unchecked, scientists predict that some herds in the tar sands region could disappear in as little as 30 years. The situation has spiraled so far out of control that it’s prompted misguided plans by the Canadian government to “rescue” caribou by shooting hundreds of wolves.

NWF is working to protect caribou by stopping the expansion of the dangerous Keystone XL pipeline. Just this week, we helped thwart an attempt by pipeline supporters in Congress to push the project forward.

A spittlebug can jump 115 times higher than its own body length. (Photo by USDA Cooperative Extension)

Olympic fever has taken hold of the world—we’re all cheering for our favorite athletes. While human Olympians have amazing physical abilities, for wild animals strength, speed, agility and endurance mean more than just medals, they are a matter of survival. Here are some animal Olympians with gold medal-worthy abilities.

High-Jump Stars

The champion of the animal world may be the spittle bug. This insect is only as long as a pencil eraser but it can jump 115 times higher than its body length. That would be like a person leaping over a 70-story skyscraper.

Going the Distance

Chinook salmon may travel more than 2,000 miles as they swim inland from the sea and head up the rivers and streams where they hatched. That’s about the distance between Detroit, Michigan and Los Angeles, California. Then there is the Arctic tern, a bird with the longest migration, traveling from the Arctic all the way to the Antarctic, and back again, each year. They literally migrate from one end of the planet to the other, 50,000 miles in total!

The sooty shearwater would take the silver medal with a migrating journey beginning in New Zealand and ending in the North Pacific, 40,000 miles annually. The Pacific gray whale can only hope for the bronze. It’s the longest migrating mammal, traveling a round-trip journey of 12,000 miles.

Broad-Jump Winners

What animal takes the prize among the best leapers? Most scientists agree: it’s the tiny southern cricket frog, a tree frog living on the ground in many southeastern states. It’s only about an inch long but can jump 62 times its body length.

Most agree the inch-long sputhern cricket frog is the best leaper. It can jump 62 times its body length. Photo by Greg Schecter.

Diving Specialists

The beaked whale, actually more closely related to dolphins than whales, can dive deeper in the ocean than any other animal. Heading down to depths of 6,230 feet—that’s over a mile deep—it can then hold its breath for 85 minutes before resurfacing for air.

Beaked whales can dive more than a mile-deep, and stay submerged for more than an hour. Photo by NOAA.

Jungle Gymnasts

The African Bush Baby is a tiny primate and lives in the treetops. It has incredible leaping abilities. As it prowls the tropical forests at night looking for fruits and insects to devour, bush babies can make leaps of 20 feet or more, which is many times their own body length. They are great jumpers and acrobats too as they move in complete silence and can see in almost absolute darkness with the help of their huge eyes.

Run, Run, Fast as You Can

The fastest animal on earth is the cheetah, which can run at speeds over 60 miles per hour. (Photo by Jan Steiner)

The fastest mammal on the planet is the cheetah which can run as speeds over 60 miles per hour. But even that doesn’t always ensure that this big cat gets a meal. The gazelles and other small antelope that are the cheetah’s main prey are not as fast as the cat, but they have greater endurance and agility in a high-speed chase and often escape the spotted speedster. The bronze medal would go to the pronghorn, the planet’s second-fastest mammal with a top speed that almost matches the cheetah’s. Both land-cruisers are slower than our gold-medal winner, the peregrine falcon, which reaches speeds in excess of 200 miles per hour when diving after prey.

Pronghorn antelope on the move along the migration route. Photo by Mark Gocke, USDA.

Fast Swimmers

The killer whale or orca is a speedy swimmer–it can swim up to 30 or 40 miles an hour. (Photo by Kat Kellner)

The killer whale or orca can swim up to 30 or 40 miles an hour. But it usually cruises at much slower speeds, between 2 to 6 miles an hour. The gentoo penguin can’t fly in the air like other birds, but it can fly through the water. It has a perfect shape for swimming and wings that work like paddles. It can reach a speed of 15 miles an hour, three times faster than humans.

Kids can be Olympians right in their own backyards. Check out some fun Olympic-themed games designed to get kids outside and connecting with nature.

To save gas, make sure your vehicle's speed doesn't exceed that of a pronghorn antelope. At up to 60 mph, pronghorns are the fastest land animals in North America. (Photo donated by Helena Reynolds)

I don’t personally gas up my car very often for two reasons. First, I drive a hybrid. Second, I tend to “conveniently” run out of gas just before my husband plans to take my car. In my mind, having him deal with the gas station, instead of me, is tantamount to receiving flowers on my birthday (well…almost).

If you, too, are looking for easy ways to avoid the gas station, here are some money and planet-saving tips.

1) Bum a ride – Carpool with reliable friends and colleagues. Or, look into safe rideshare options, like NuRide, that provide additional incentives for smart commuting. Alternatively, mass transportation will take you out of the driver’s seat altogether.

2) Work fewer days (in the office) – Ask your employer if teleworking or working a condensed schedule with longer hours (ex. 9 days on, 1 day off) are options. While you’re at it, see if there’s any flexibility with workday start or end times that might allow you to avoid gas and time-wasting rush hour traffic.

3) Think small – When renting a car for your next vacation, think small–or hybrid, if available–as they tend to be more fuel efficient. If you’re in the market to buy a fuel-efficient vehicle, try the U.S. Department of Energy’s Find-a-Car Tool.

4) Slow down and hang back – Aggressive driving (speeding, tailgating, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town.